How Branch Stole Christmas
by THeSHaDoWPuPPeTTe
Summary: Yes, every Troll in the Troll Tree liked Christmas a lot. However, Branch, who lived underground, did NOT...
1. The Grey Troll

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING...:(**

 _I have always wanted to do this story! I'm so glad I can finally post it! As usual, chapters posted weekly. Please R &R, and remember..._

 _ **^^THe SHaDoWPuPPeTTe iS aLWaYS WaTCHiNG^^**_

* * *

 _In a cheerful land,_

 _On one Christmas Eve._

 _There happened a story,_

 _You must see to believe._

 _In the kingdom of Bergens,_

 _Inside the Troll Tree,_

 _There lived tiny Trolls,_

 _Who thrived on pure glee._

 _Ask any Bergen,_

 _And they'll always say,_

" _There's no place like the Troll Tree,_

 _around Christmas Day!"_

 _Every Troll in the Tree,_

 _Between every hug, song, or dance,_

 _Would decorate each leaf,_

 _If they had the chance._

 _They loved Easter Sunday,_

 _Valentine's was real hearty,_

 _And on every Troll's birthday,_

 _They threw a huge party._

 _But every Troll knew,_

 _From there six toes to their hair,_

 _They loved Christmas the most,_

 _When joy filled the air._

"Welcome to Gristle's!"

"Thank you!"

"Merry Christmas! Thank you for shopping at Gristle's!"

Peppy jostled his way through the chaotic crowd at Gristle's Christmas Mall, reading a list for all the members of his large family. And their friends, and their friends relatives, and so on and so forth.

"We have a Glitter Dress for your sister Satin, a Glitter dress for your sister Chenille, headphones for DJ Suki, shades for Guy Diamond, and a top hat for Biggie's worm, Mr. Dinkles. So that just leaves us…. Poppy?"

Peppy searched for the bright pink in a forest of colorful hair, and sighed. His daughter was having trouble walking through the bustling crowds, again.

"Sale on Aisle 3!"

"Poppy!"

"Merry Christmas!"

"Hello, Smidge. Merry Christmas, Rosie. Excuse me."

He stopped at a large stack of perfectly balanced boxes, and pulled out the center.

"Poppy? Sweetie?"

His happily frustrated little girl smiled at him, "Dad?"

"Yes, Princess?"

"I love Christmas as much as you do, maybe even more, but... doesn't this seem like a bit much?"

Peppy stared at her quizzically, chuckling at her statement, "This is what Christmas is all about!"

Much to his surprise, Poppy shook her head no. She turned away, and glumly walked through the bustling sea of Trolls. Peppy watched her in disbelief. Meanwhile, the cashier was drowning in a pool of money, and being choked with stress.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Thank you for shopping at Gristle's! Wait a second! _Your change!_ "

Suddenly, a loud ringing was heard throughout the tree. Up at the top of the tree, DJ Suki had stolen Poppy's cowbell. She was striking it with a mallet; yelling, "We're another minute closer to Christmas, everyone. One less minute to prepare! Get your groove on and get a move on!"

That's when, off in the distance, a single troll could be heard.

" _Rockin' around the Christmas Tree_

 _At the Christmas party hop!_

 _Every Troll dancing merrily_

 _And they don't know how to stop!"_

And that's when Poppy and the Snack Pack joined in.

" _You will get a super groovy feelin' when you hear_

 _Voices singing, 'Let's be jolly; dance and sing and hug a folly!_

 _Rockin' around the Christmas Tree...'"_

Well, _some_ of the Snack Pack, anyways.

* * *

 _Yes, every Troll in the Troll Tree_

 _Liked Christmas a lot_

 _But Branch_

 _Who lived underground_

 _Did not_

Meanwhile, Satin and Chenille where swinging down the branches of the tree with their boyfriends, Guy Diamond and Biggie.

"Guys, wait up," Biggie hollered down to the others. "I can't go too fast, I could drop Mr. Dinkles!"

"Well, you better hold on tight!" Guy laughed in his auto tuned voice.

"Yeah," started Satin. "Last one there-"

"- is the Rotten Grey Troll!" finished her twin sister Chenille.

Biggie had caught up with Guy when he whispered, "How far down are we? I really think we should go back."

"What," Guy smirked. "You're scared of Branch!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"They say he lives in a big cave in the bottom of the tree," drawled Satin, teasing him. "And that he only climbs up for the taste of…"

"TROLL FLESH!" Chenille shrieked, jumping on Biggie's back. Biggie screamed and hugged Mr. Dinkles, causing his hair to let go of its current branch. As they fell, Satin and Guy gasped, "Biggie! Chenille!"

Biggie and Chenille held on to each other the whole way down, too scared to grab onto other branches or twigs. They closed their eyes, suspecting the worst, when they suddenly stopped and hung in midair. They looked up to see Guy gently put them down with his hair before jumping down to join them. Satin soon followed, but she landed behind a group of snow covered leaves and moss.

Guy was busy making sure Biggie was okay, while the giant tended to Chenille and Mr. Dinkles. They jumped at the sound of rustling leaves, and slowly turned only to see… Satin.

"Satin," Guy let out a breath he had been holding. "What do you thi-"

"Hush," Satin whispered.

"Excuse me-" he remarked.

"Quiet," she once again interrupted. "Follow me, and don't make a sound."

She crept back the way she came from, glancing back to make sure they were following. Chenille watched as Guy hesitantly followed her, casting a disbelieving look at Biggie. He merely responded with a shrug, and grabbed her hand as he gently drug her with him.

They emerged in an open clearing, and froze at what was before them. There, at the bottom of the Troll Tree, was a huge stone door. It was dark, creepy, and the very opposite of Troll life. Even the place mat was uninviting, simply saying the words "GO AWAY" in bold letters.

"Hey," Guy nudged Biggie's arm. "I dare you to go touch the door."

" _Are you insane?_ " Biggie whispered frantically. "I'm _not_ touching that thing! If you're so cool, _you_ go touch it!"

"C'mon, you're gonna turn down a _dare_ just like that?"

"The only reason you're sending _me_ is because _you're_ too scared to do it!"

" _Am not!_ "

" _Are too!_ "

" _Fine!_ I'll _prove_ it! Hey, Satin, watch as your _brave_ boyfriend touches the _Rotten Gray Troll's_ door, because _Chenille's_ boyfriend was too _scared_ to do it himself!"

"You did _not_ just say that!"

"Oh yes I _did_ , what you gonna do about it?"

"I'm gonna go with you! Chenille, take Mr. Dinkles. If anything dangerous comes up, I want you and your sister to run. Got it?"

The twins glanced at each other giggling, and nodded their heads in agreement. Chenille held the worm gently in her arms, while Satin grabbed her hand and wrapped her hair around the nearest branch.

Guy, on the other hand, had started taking slow steps towards the door; a mortified Biggie trudgingly taking quick baby steps behind him. After about five minutes, they finally made it to the edge of the placemat. They both reached a shaky hand out to touch it, when they heard a deep growling noise from below.

They looked down at the placemat, which was now glaring at them with deep, dark eyes.


	2. There Was Always One

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING...:(**

 _I'm sorry for the chapters being so short, for one, and I'll do my best to make them longer. Also, I decided I will be updating new chapters every few days, because I am very impatient..._

 _Please make sure to R &R, and remember..._

 ** _^^THe SHaDoWPuPPeTTe iS aLWaYS WaTCHiNG^^_**

* * *

 _Previously, on 'How Branch Stole Christmas'..._

 _Guy, on the other hand, had started taking slow steps towards the door; a mortified Biggie trudgingly taking quick baby steps behind him. After about five minutes, they finally made it to the edge of the placemat. They both reached a shaky hand out to touch it, when they heard a deep growling noise from below._

 _They looked down at the placemat, which was now glaring at them with deep, dark eyes._

* * *

Suddenly, the mat lifted up and out shot a dark mass of hair, right at the screaming Trolls. The girls shot up into the air; Mr. Dinkles exclaiming a short, "Oh snap!" before squeaking again. Guy was so frightened he jumped right on to a mushroom, which threw him into Satin. He held on for dear life.

Meanwhile, Biggie was frozen in place. He stood trembling in fear as the hair slithered across the ground and wrapped around his ankle. Chenille noticed her boyfriend being dragged towards the hole; towards the _creature_ , whatever it was. Then she realised something.

"Oh my God," Chenille gasped. "Guys, he's real! It's Branch! Somebody do something, he's gonna eat Biggie!"

Guy trembled, his glitter falling off at the idea of his best friend being shred to bits.

"Biggie," he shouted down. The giant Troll glanced up at him, a pale blue. "Grab my hair!"

Biggie's hand desperately reached out as Guy's hair flew towards him. He held on for dear life as the thick, silvery strands wrapped around his wrist tightly. Biggie was crying, terrified at the thought of being ripped apart between the light and the dark. He couldn't feel his feet from the intense hold, and he could feel Guy's hair slowly slipping from his sweaty palms.

" _Hold_ _on_!" Guy shouted from the high branch.

"I _can't_ ," Biggie grunted as he tried to keep hold. Unable to bear the pain any longer, he let go, screaming as he was swiftly pulled under the mat.

 _"NO!"_ the girls shrieked.

* * *

Biggie cried silently in the dark cave, huddled in a corner lit by a single stream of sunlight from above. He shook violently, his eyes darting back and forth as he whimpered.

"Look what we have here," a voice teased cruelly from the dark. Something squeaked in response. "He does look pretty _tasty_. How do you want him? Medium rare... well done..."

The squeaks moved closer, until they stopped to his left. Biggie struggled to hold back a scream, turning to look at the horrifyingly dark, ugly, smiling face of the Grey Troll. The monster leaned in until they were almost touching noses, and he lifted his eyebrows as he softly whispered, " _Boo_."

The Grey Troll plugged his large, pointed ears as Biggie let out a long, high-pitched shriek. He looked to his right, nodded his head, and watched with amusement as the giant Troll was launched back up into the tree.

"Have a _horrible_ trip," he called. "It _wasn't_ nice meeting you! Please _don't_ bother coming back!"

* * *

Guy watched as Biggie was pulled into the dark hole under the mat, and the screams were silenced as the door slammed shut. He slowly pulled his hair back, his mouth agape. He stumbled backwards as the girls shrieked, lost in a horrified gaze. He flinched as his back hit the trunk of the Troll Tree, and he slid down as he realized what had just happened. He lost his best friend... all because they just _had_ to see the Grey Troll. What were they _thinking_? How could they be so _stupid_?

He pulled his knees up to his chest and dropped his head, wrapping his arms around himself and wishing he could wake up soon. He listened for any sign that this was a prank, but all he could hear was his girlfriend's and her sister's receding sobs as they climbed back up the tree. He listened to the sorrowful sound until he couldn't hear them any longer. He was alone with his thoughts. He had let a single tear slide down his cheek when he could've sworn he heard a sound...

His ears perked up and he lifted his head. Yes, there it was again, like a muffled shriek. He leaned over the branch, looking back down to the horrid 'GO AWAY' place mat. His eyes widened as the trap-door opened and a high pitch scream echoed through the empty streets of Bergen Town.

"Biggie?" he whispered. He squinted in hopes of seeing through the dark, and was about to call for help when the giant Troll came flying through the air. Guy watched in awe as Biggie went flying over his head, screaming all the way into the tops of the tree.

" _Biggie_!" he cries happily. He shook himself out of his daze and went swinging up the branches after him. "Biggie! Slow down! Use your hair! Biggie? Biggie! Come on, man! _Biggie_..."

* * *

"Another job well done," Branch dusted his hands off. "Right, Fuzzbert?"

A series of squeaks came from a small walking, green patch of hair. It came to stand next to him, looking up and squeaking some more.

"I know we don't _eat_ other Trolls, but you should've seen the look on his _face_!" Branch laughed, pulling a lever-the one that sent Biggie flying-the other way. Fuzzbert squeaked some more as they were lowered several feet underground. "Yes, I enjoy being cruel. I _hate_ the Trolls. Every single one of them-except you, of course."

More squeaks echoed through the floors and rooms they were passing by.

"What do you _mean_ there's one other?"

Squeaks.

"Invitations from Poppy!? _Where_!?"

Squeaks.

"You _looked_ in my _closet_!?"

Squeaks.

"I'm _seriously_ considering kicking you out right now," Branch was blushing madly by the time they reached the bottom. He drop-kicked Fuzzbert, then turned and walked down a hallways to his room. He walked in, and shouted behind him, " _For_ _good_!"

He slammed the door behind him and stalked over to his desk, which was surrounded by gizmos and gadgets in order to listen for intruders. He plopped down in the chair grumpily. He began to think about all the reasons he hated the Trolls, every single one of them.

 _The singing, the dancing, the hugs, the presents, the_ noise _and_ happiness _,_ he got angrier the more he thought, his skin nearly turning black. _They're scared of me, yet they made me this way. Everyone_ hates _me, and they still do!_

 _However_ , he slowed down, returning to a light gray. He felt a tug at his lips, which he fought harshly as he looked to his closet. Slowly, his scowl turned to a small smile. He walked to the closet and opened a secret compartment in the back, pulling out a small folded paper. He opened the red and green card and closed his eyes as soft Christmas music gently floated through his room. He opened them again to look at the hugging Trolls, one gray and one pink, and the small bouncing hearts.

"There was always one," he whispered sadly. He was so focused on the card, he didn't notice Fuzzbert peaking in from behind his door. "Who made me happy."


End file.
